January 2003 • $3 Quaker Thought FRIENDS and Life OURNAL Today ~~~========================~ On Being in the An Among Friends independent magazine serving the Religious Searching Out That on Which Society of Friends We Can Depend Editorial y daily.routine usually starts with a rwo-mile walk on an athletic track near Susan Corron-Finnerty (Publisher and Executive my home. It's an energizing way to begin the day, scooting along as f.tst as I Editor), Robert Dockhorn (Smior Editor), Lisa can go, greeting everyone I encounter (often reflecting on the phrase "walk Rand {Assistant Editor), Judith Brown (Poetry Editor), M Ellen Michaud (Book Review Editor), ). Brent Bill cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one"). Early mornings find (Assistant Book Review Editor), Joan Overman (Book me out there in all kinds of weather and all seasons. That half hour of steaming along &view Assistant), Christine Rusch (Mikstones Editor), Julie Gochenour, Robert Marks, Cameron gives me a chance to reflect and pray, along with offering cheerful greetings. The McWhirter (News Editors), Kara Newell (Columnist), prayer most often in my heart is one ofgratitude, elicited ftom me by the unfailing Marjo rie Schier (Copyeditor), Christina Weber beauty of the surrounding trees, stream, and sky. (Of course, there is so much more to (Intern) be grateful for, and those things press in on me too, as the well ofgratitude is opened.) Production Barbara Benton (Art Dirmor), Alia Podolsky But I find it is also a time to hold the world and its troubles in the Light. Deeply (Assistant Art Dirmor), Martin Kelley (Web Managd) breathing the fresh air, beholding the early morning sky, listening tO bird song, I fmd Advertising, Circulation, Development myself in a place that touches on the timeless-that bridges seasons, life passages, the Nagendran Gulendran (Advertising Manager), upheaval and turmoil of political and social change. It is there that I have found it Nicole Hackel (Circulation Assistant), Melissa Martin (Project and Database Manager), Lawrence easiest to pray for our nation's leaders, there that I have sought the wisdom and Moore (Circulation and Marketing Manager), Grerra courage to pray rightly for Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, there that I have Scone (Developmmt Coordinator), Kay Bacon, Ruth most eloquently lodged my plea for peace in this world with the Almighty. Peterson (Volunteers) In November, when our national elections appeared to give our current Administration Mari an ne De Lange (Office Manager), Tom McPeak administration a mandate to plow full speed ahead cowards war with Iraq (and who (AccormtingServices), Tom Hartmann (Volunteer) knows how many other peoples), it was difficult to maintain a positive focus. My Board of Trustees mood seemed to match the cold, rainy, gray days as I squooshed around the soggy Barbara Andrews, TylaAnn Burger {Treasurer), track. I found, however, as I let the energy of this walking/reflection/prayer discipline Katharine O ark, Linda Coffin, Karen Cromley, carry me through the days, what lifted me was my cold and barren surroundings, John Darnell, William Deutsch (Assistant Ckrk), Mary Ann Downey, Walter Evans, Marsha Green because--they so clearly seemed to be saying to me--" it is in darkness that the seed is (Recording Ckrk), Dan Hewitt, Li nda Houser, born, it is in a world that seems cold and lifeless that new beginnings are made, that Linda Lyman, Larry Miller, Julian O'Reilley, Ruth Peterson, Jonathan Tamez, Ann Trueblood new life stirs." The womb is a dark place, perhaps as dark as the soil where Raper, Lynn Waddington, Elizabeth Years {Ckrk), germination takes place. The promise of renewal that lies hidden in dark and Anne-Marie Zilliacus devastated times is an eternal one that penetrates the center of the Creation, that is at FRIENDS j OURNAL (ISSN 0016-1322) was esrablish<:d the heart of the Resurrection. On this I know we can depend. Walking towards that in 1955 as the successor ro TIN Friena'(l827-1 955) and Frimds /nulligmcer(l844-1955). light that lies over the ocean of darkness, perceiving--even ifonl y dimly-what that • FRIENDS jOURNAL is publish<:<! monthly by bright and beautiful world looks like, is what gives me hope in the dark times. I know Friends Publishing Corporation, 1216 Arch Street, 2A, Philadelphia, PA 191 07-2835. Telephone they will have their end, and that when they do, something beautiful and new will (215) 563-8629. E-mail [email protected]. be born. Periodicals postage paid at Philadelphia, Pa., and additional mailing offices. *** • Subscriptions: one year $29, two years $54. Add I must turn now to something I deeply regret and for which I must offer you, our $6 per year for posrage 10 countries outside the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Individual copies $3 each. readers, an apology. Early this past autumn, we began to have unprecedented • Advertising information and assistance is available: on difficulties with the printing of FRIENDS JouRNAL. Quite a few of you have had tO request. Appearance of any advertisement does not imply endure copies of the magazine improperly bound with pages missing, have been endorsement by FRIENDS j OURNAL. all • Postmaster. send address changes to FRIENDS receiving the magazine much later than its normal schedule, and others have failed to joURNAl., 1216 Arch Street, 2A, Phi ladelphia, PA 19107- receive it altogether. It quickly became apparent that we would need to find a new 2835. printer. So while we researched, screened, and evaluated new printers, we were forced • Copyright@ 2003 by Friends Publishing Corporation. Permissio n should be received before reprinting excerpts to endure worsening problems a while longer. We here at the JOURNAL offer you our longer than 200 words. sincere apologies for this; bringing you a quality publication on time is always our Available on microfilm fro m Bell and Howell Information and Learning. goal. I'm pleased (and relieved) to report that the issue you hold in your hand has PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER been produced by our new printer, and we anticipate that the recent difficulties will Min. 20% post-consumer cease to be a problem. We offer replacement copies to you for any issues you missed or that were improperly bound (please be in touch with us about this at Moving? Let us update your <[email protected]>). We sincerely thank you for your forbearance. subscription and address. FRIENDS j OURNAL, 1216 Arch Sr., 2.A Philadelphia, PA 19107-2.835 • (215) 563-8629 Fax: (215) 568-1377 • [email protected] Web: www.friendsjournal.org 2 january 2003 fRIENDS JOURNAL January 2003 FRIENDS Volume 49, No. 1 JOURNAL Features Departments 6 Cold Spell 2 Among Friends Julie Gochenour 4 Forum Winter offers a spiritual lesson. 8 Discerning the Divine 5 Viewpoint Friends: an elite group or a people to be Karen Reynolds gathered? There are many ways to discern whether a message comes .from God. 25 Quaker Profiles 12 Focusing on the Light Tom and Anne Moore Nancy Saunders 27 Reports and Epistles A practice called "Focusing" shares common elements with Canadian Yearly Meeting the experience ofmeeting for worship. Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and 14 A Spiritual Haven for Scientists Association Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) Calvin Schwabe Illinois Yearly Meeting The Quaker understanding of continuing revelation bears Mercer Street Friends a strong similarity to the scientific method. 16 On Being a Quaker in the World 31 Wrtness Peace and good behavior: a minor testimony? Andrew Esser-Haines A Young Friend finds ways to move in different circles. 33 Books 18 Winter in Fairbanks 38 News Brad Sheeks 42 Bulletin Board Following a leading, the author conftonts loneliness. Milestones 22 Reflections of a Convinced Friend 43 David Yount 49 Classified A syndicated columnist shares what draws him to Quakerism. Poetry 21 Potatoes Earl Coleman Cover photo ©2002 David Lorenz Wt'mton, taken on the grounds ofWillistown (Pa.) Meeting Andrew Esser-Haines (page I 6) andfriend Magda <www.davidlorenzwimton.com> share a lAugh. FRIENDS ]OURNALjanuary 2003 3 Forum How can we take the Peace compelled to make these statements, which "king" is dualistic, Western, and wrong! It has often sounded hollow and contrived to me. been wrong ever since the Greek and Roman Testimony into conflict? It was as if there was an underlying belief philosophers locked upon the idea of only that the nightmare could somehow be I've been taken with the vigor and dichotomous, either/or situations. There is contained or controlled by wrapping a lot of something that appeals to a large portion of passion of the discussion in FRIENDS ]OURNAL words around it. Western humanity about these simple since 9/11/01 about the necessity/efficacy of Cameron McWhirter's essay has helped decision models, but they are and always have upholding the Peace Testimony in our me accept my confusion, and the empty been wrong in my sense of the Truth. troubled world. Personally I believe that the silence underneath it. My views about the I have found some comfort in reading Peace Testimony has the weight of both Peace Testimony are in considerable Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist. morality and the long-term sustainability of turmoil, which is difficult enough, but I had From his and other Buddhist pacifist ideas I our species (and our Earth) on its side. Yet been feeling that perhaps something was find some solace from Western duality. I holding fully to it requires us to be bold and faulty in my moral and/or intellectual hope Friends will find inspiration in their pro-active-which raises the issue of fear. I reasoning. After all, everyone else seems to hearts for following pacifism and won't think for many of us pacifism provides a convenient shield to protect us from facing have a very strong opinion, and a very strong succumb to "logical" arguments of those that fear.